


Clingy but Cute

by Taybay14



Series: Saving people, writing prompts [31]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Baby Dean, Bunker, Caretaker Castiel (Supernatural), Caretaker Sam Winchester, Clingy Dean, Cuddles, Curses, Cute, De-Aged Dean Winchester, Fluffy, Little Dean, Oops, Platonic Cuddling, Scooby Doo - Freeform, Separation Anxiety, Toddler Dean, adorableness, blocks, hexes, witch's curse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-11-28 18:31:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20971106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taybay14/pseuds/Taybay14
Summary: Tumblr Post by bend-me-shape- me, requested by ladystiltskin67 / transparentparadisglitterzombie / blazeeblake / tinyteacupsfan / joham-fate to be turned into a fic:Deaged dean following cas everywhere, not wanting to do anything if cas isn't there, always running after him and gripping the back of his trench coat "cas don't leave!!" even if cas was just going to his room and coming back in less than a minute and sam watches them wondering if this is just a normal thing for a little kid to do or if this just dean's deep fear of losing cas emerging





	Clingy but Cute

When the dust settles, Sam pushes to his feet and cradles his injured wrist to his chest. He scans the area, eyes flitting over Castiel who is currently brushing off his trench coat, and the now dead witch lying on the ground, before falling on a small bundled up figure in what seems to be Dean's flannel. 

"Dean?" Sam asks in a brittle voice. 

The ball of flannel squeaks before tilting his face up to look at the very tall Sammy in front of him. Wide green eyes full of fear and confusion study Sam for a moment. Then Dean's pushing out his little bottom lip into an adorable pout, tiny freckled nose wrinkling. 

"Wait," Castiel says slowly, pointing at Dean with an eyebrow raised. "You're saying that's Dean?"

"Pretty damn sure. Witch must have gotten a curse in before we ganked her."

As Sam talks, he gestures to the dead witch just a foot or two away. Dean looks over in that direction and releases a distressed cry, his little body beginning to tremble as he stares at the bloody witch that still has an angel blade sticking out of her. 

"Do you think he understands what's happening?" Castiel asks in concern.

"Considering he's the one who put that blade in her, and the way he's now reacting, I'm thinking not."

Castiel looks down at Dean, anxious blue eyes scanning the tiny human. "We have to get him somewhere safe. Back to the bunker. Maybe Rowena will know what to do."

"Yeah. Good plan," Sam says, feeling a little better now. "Okay, Dean. Let's go for a ride in the car!"

Dean whimpers as Sam moves closer to him, eyebrows pulling in. He glances over at Castiel before deciding he's the safer option. It takes a lot of work to get to the angel, since Dean has to climb out of the grown-up jeans his stubby legs are trapped in, but then he's running across the open area, butt naked other than the baggy flannel sliding off one of his shoulders. He throws his arms up the second he's in reaching distance to Castiel, silently commanding the angel to pick him up. When Castiel doesn't get the memo, Dean shuffles closer and tugs on his trench coat, then lifts his arms again while making grabby hands. "Up, up! Dean go up!" 

Heart melting, Castiel squats down and scoops the boy up. He cradles Dean to his chest and rearranges the flannel so Dean is mostly covered, knowing the boy could catch a cold if he went outside unprotected. 

"I don't know why he's afraid of me," Sam mumbles as they walk out of the warehouse and toward the Impala. 

“Well, you’re rather large,” Castiel points out. “And we do share a more-”

“_Profound bond_,” Sam finishes with an eye roll. “Yes. I’m aware.”

Smiling to himself, Castiel tightens his hold on Dean and kisses the top of his head. Sam can be crabby all he wants. Dean is damn adorable. And it’s not like this will be permanent. It’s probably a simple fix. So, Castiel is going to enjoy himself. He’s going to monopolize on all of the Dean cuddles and warm and fuzzies, making the boy feel loved and cared for until it’s time for him to get thrust back in the adult body that’s weighed down with far too much responsibility. 

\----

Dean sits in the man who was carrying him’s lap with his tiny fingers curled around the lip of the Impala door, pressing his nose to the window as he stares out at the road. He can vaguely remember these two men that have him. He’s related to them, he thinks. The big one is familiar and makes him feel less out of place right now, though his size is a little too intimidating for Dean’s liking. The other one in the soft coat is familiar as well, but in a different way. He makes Dean feel safe. At peace. Dean has this overwhelming urge to cling to him and hug him at all times. 

Like right now. 

Dean turns away from the window and lurches forward without warning, wrapping his little arms around the one in the coat’s neck. He nuzzles his nose against the warm skin there, giggling when the scritchy scratchy stuff on the man’s chin tickles him. 

Knowing they have names - and sensing them on the tip of his tongue - Dean pulls back and pouts. He boops Castiel on the nose and tilts his head in question. “Who you?”

“I’m Castiel. Do you remember me?”

“Cas!” Dean nods enthusiastically. Yes. He remembers Cas. Cas is silly. Cas makes him laugh. “Cas!”

Castiel smiles softly. “Yes, Dean. Cas. Good job.”

Dean turns to look at the big man, pointing a little finger. Before he can ask, Castiel says, “That’s Sam. Your brother. Do you remember Sam?”

“Sammy! Sammy!” He remembers Sammy too. His brother. Dean takes care of Sammy. Protects him. At least… he used to. Dean leans over and pats a chubby hand on Sam’s shoulder. “My Sammy.”

This makes Sam grin wide. He glances over at Dean before looking back at the road. “Yeah, Dean. Your Sammy.”

Pleased that this has been settled, Dean rearranges himself in Castiel’s lap and presses his nose back against the window. They’re pulling into a driveway now. It’s bumpy and he doesn’t like it. He whines to show his distress. Just seconds later, he’s being jostled and sent flying. He lands hard on his bum, right against Castiel’s knee. He hiccups, right on the verge of tears, but Castiel pulls him in for a big hug and cradles the back of his head. 

“You’re okay, Dean. It’s just a few bumps. Then we’ll be home.”

“Home,” Dean repeats. Then he perks up. “Bunker!”

“Yeah, you’re right! The bunker. Good job.”

Dean smiles, very proud of himself. He holds tight to the collar of Castiel’s soft jacket as he’s carried out of the car and into their home. There are hazy memories coming to him as they walk through the bunker, but he can’t quite grasp any of them. It gives him a bad feeling in his tummy, but clinging tight to Castiel helps. 

As long as Castiel stays nearby, Dean will be just fine. 

If he tries to leave, though… they’re gonna have issues. 

\---- 

Dean won’t leave poor Castiel alone. Sam would find it funny if he didn’t find it so sad at the same time. It could just be Dean acting like a kid, but he doesn’t act that way with Sam. That makes Sam think it’s something more. He has a feeling that Dean’s deep-seated feelings toward Castiel, and his hidden fear that he’ll lose Castiel, are making their way to his tiny surface now that his defenses are lowered. 

Just as Dean’s chicken nuggets are placed in front of him, as well as a make-shift sippy cup of juice, Castiel excuses himself for a phone call. Dean freezes mid-bite. Like, literally, chicken nugget in his mouth, teeth about to clamp down, mid-bite. Very slowly, he places it back on the plate and crinkles his eyebrows. 

He puts a hand out toward Castiel, opening and closing it. “Uh?”

“He’ll be right back, Dean.”

“Cas!” Dean yells, ignoring Sam. “Cas, come back!”

“Dean, he’s talking on the phone. He’ll be right back.”

Shooting Sam a very - _very _\- dirty look, Dean tilts his head back and yells, “Cas!”

Castiel comes jogging back into the room, eyebrows raised in alarm. When he sees that everything is fine, he looks at Sam in question. Sam shrugs. “He was not impressed with you leaving.”

“Oh.” Castiel turns back to Dean, seeing that the boy actually had some tears building in his eyes. “Dean, I would have been right back. I’m not leaving. I promise.”

“Cas stay!” Dean orders, pointing a finger at the chair Castiel had been sitting in a minute ago. Fighting a smile, Cas does as told. 

Dean tentatively begins eating again. As he chews each bite, he stares Castiel down, daring the angel to move. 

Thoroughly entertained by the toddler’s attitude, Castiel and Sam go back to reading the books they found on curses and hexes. The two of them keep exchanging looks throughout Dean’s meal, smirking in amusement. 

\---- 

It stops being entertaining after a few hours. Dean - who is still wearing nothing but his oversized flannel because he won’t let them change him into anything else - pads around barefoot, following Castiel everywhere he goes. If Castiel is standing still, he stands right beside him. He doesn’t even get bored. Most toddlers would find standing beside a grown up while they read a newspaper spread across the counter top boring, but not Dean. He stands patiently, staring at nothing. If there’s a distraction, like Sam talking to Dean or a sudden noise that startles him, Dean’s hand automatically goes to Castiel’s trench coat, clinging to him so he can’t run away while Dean’s not paying attention. 

He follows Castiel to the library. To the kitchen. To the living room. To his bedroom. To the library. To his bedroom. To the living room. To the bathroom. 

And so on and so on. 

Every time they go on the move, Dean talks his ear off. 

“Where we goin’, Cas?”

“Why?”

“But why?”

“Why, Cas?”

“Where we goin’ now, Cas?”

“Why?”

“What’s that smell, Cas?”

“What’s that?”

“Well, why it smells like that, Cas?”

“Why I no come in the potty with you, Cas?”

“What’s p-pa-paria-va- cy, Cas?”

“But... why, Cas?”

And so on and so on. 

Finally, Sam comes back from the store with some toys. Castiel takes Dean by the tiny hand and leads him into the living room. They sit on the rug with Sam, the three of them sitting criss-cross together. Sam bought Dean some Mega-Blocks to play with. They decide to build a castle, which turns out to be Sam and Castiel building a castle, while Dean plays dragon and knocks it down every few minutes. 

This is enough of a distraction that Castiel takes a chance, trying to slip away undetected to call Rowena back for more information on the hex placed on Dean. He makes it three steps - not even out of the living room - before Dean is scrambling to his feet, blocks flying in every direction as he goes running after Castiel.

“Cas, don’t leave!” he chirps, trying to catch up to him. “Cas, don’t leave!”

He gets a tight grip on Castiel’s trench coat and exhales in relief. 

"He's quite the clingy little thing, isn't he?" Sam says with an amused smirk. 

"

Yeah." Castiel rests a hand on Dean's little head and strokes his hair, smiling when it makes the boy relax. "Clingy but cute."

\---- 

Castiel ends up sleeping with a miniature Dean in his bed that night, all curled up in his worn flannel, freckled nose twitching as he rests. He wakes up twice, both times because of a bad dream he had in which Castiel abandoned him. Castiel handles these nightmares by scooping Dean up and holding him close, promising the boy over and over that he isn’t going anywhere, that Dean is safe, and that everything is okay, until Dean falls back asleep. 

The next day is more of the same. Dean has learned his lesson, and now knows it’s best if he stays in Castiel’s arms or on his lap as often as possible. This way, he doesn’t have to worry about chasing him around. 

Castiel doesn’t fight it anymore. Sam takes over any communication with Rowena, handling everything himself while Castiel spends his day catering to a very bossy little Dean. Because now that Dean has figured out how to keep Castiel with him at all times, he’s moved on to his next level of needs: getting _everything else _he wants. 

As much as Castiel loves Dean - big and small - and as much as he’s enjoying the cuddles and love he’s getting from the little guy, Castiel thinks if he never goes another day watching Scooby Doo, eating finger-foods, building the same exact castle repeatedly just to see it knocked down, getting a hot-wheel car driven along his body, and peeing with a tiny Dean right on the other side of the door, face pressed up against it as he asks every few seconds, “You still there, Cas?” it’ll be too soon. 

That said, he’s pretty bummed when Rowena shows up with the cure. They put Dean on the kitchen table, where he sits right on the edge, stubby little bow-legs swinging anxiously. He keeps his tight hold on Castiel’s jacket, flinching every time someone touches him. It takes a lot of convincing and promising from Castiel that everything will be okay for Dean to cooperate with the spell. 

Then, with just a few chanted words and a poof of smoke, a full-sized Dean is sitting on the kitchen table. The first thing adult-Dean does is look at Castiel with wide eyes and smile. The second thing is to grimace and say, “Son of a bitch,” as he realizes he’s naked from the waist down. He catapults off the table and rushes down the hall, yelling over his shoulder, “Grabbing some clothes. Thanks for the save, Rowena!”

When they ask Dean if he remembers the time he spent being little, he shrugs in typical Dean fashion and says a simple, “Yup. Thanks for dealing with me,” before changing the topic. For the rest of the night, they act normal. Other than the blocks still on the floor, there’s no evidence there was ever a toddler in the bunker at all. 

\---- 

Dean’s laying on his back in his bed, staring up at the ceiling as he replays the last two days. He startles when he hears a soft knock on his open door. When he looks over to find Castiel standing in the doorway, he sits up on the bed and gives him a smile. 

“Hey, Cas.”

“Hello, Dean.” Castiel walks in before taking a seat beside Dean on the bed. Dean gets a momentary flash of the night before, when they had slept holding each other. It was so nice waking up from the nightmares to a warm, comforting Cas. 

Dean’s going to miss Castiel. Sure, Castiel isn’t going anywhere, but the rules are different now. He’s an adult. The past two days with Castiel, clinging to him, feeling safe every time he looks up to find Castiel right there, every time Castiel gave him a hug or a kiss on the top of his head, that’s the happiest Dean’s been in a long time. That’s the part of Castiel Dean will miss, just like Dean’s going to miss the part of himself that was willing to ask for that love.

“Can’t fall asleep?” Castiel asks softly, placing a hand on Dean’s knee. 

Staring at the hand on his leg, Dean admits, “I know it was only two days, but I sorta got used to being with y - _someone_. It’s lonely in here, I guess.”

“Mmm. Yes. I suppose it is.” 

“I’ll get used to it.”

“You could. But you don’t have to.”

“What do you mean?”

Castiel smiles at him, but it’s tight. Hesitant. “I could stay the night in here. Keep you company.”

“No!” Dean practically shouts the word, too afraid to think of saying yes. Too afraid to consider what it would mean to have Castiel in the bed next to him. To admit that he needs the man on a subatomic level. To admit that his greatest fear isn’t dying bloody, it’s not even losing Sammy. His greatest fear is spending his life without Castiel by his side. 

“I’ll leave you be, then, Dean. I’ll be in my room if you need me at all.” 

Dean watches Castiel go, his trench coat billowing with each step. It’s just as Castiel reaches the threshold of the room that Dean realizes how stupid he’s being, how stupid he’s been, and gives into his natural instinct. 

“Cas, don’t leave!” 

Castiel turns slowly, giving Dean a smile. He closes the door and turns the lights off, using the glow of Dean’s dim lamp to get back to Dean’s bed. As he slips his shoes off, Dean reaches out to grab a fistful of his coat. He looks up at Castiel shyly, but says nothing. Castiel doesn’t say anything either. There’s no need. They both just know. 

They’ve always known. 

This has been a long time coming. They’re meant to spend their lives side by side. If it took a witch’s hex and some excessive block building to get there, then so be it. 

They fall asleep easily that night, Castiel cradling Dean to his chest, and Dean keeping a tight grip on Castiel’s coat. At one point, Dean stirs in his sleep, the nightmare he’s experiencing making him whimper out a little, “Cas, don’t leave!”

Castiel holds Dean tighter and holds him through the dream, reminding him just like when he was a toddler, “I’m not going anywhere, Dean. I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr/twitter at Destiel-love-forever !


End file.
